Girls’ swimming: Cape Elizabeth cruises to Class B crown

Alicia Lawrence, bottom, is congratulated by Cape Elizabeth teammates Rose Baillie, left, Olivia Tighe, center, and Caroline Mahoney after they won the 200-yard medley relay at the Class B girls' swimming championships Monday at the University of Maine in Orono. Photos by Kevin Bennett

ORONO — Overwhelmingly favored in the Class B state girls’ swimming and diving championship, Cape Elizabeth could have cruised. Instead, they dominated.

With a collection of impressive – and sometimes record-breaking – performances and unbeatable depth, the Capers easily won the state championship Monday afternoon at the University of Maine’s Stanley M. Wallace Pool.

“All the girls had best times across the board,” Capers Coach Ben Raymond said.

Capers sophomore Olivia Tighe was named the performer of the meet. Besides being part of two record-setting relays, Tighe recorded impressive victories in back-to-back races – with literally six minutes between them – the 100-yard butterfly (57.30) and the 100 freestyle (51.76).

“There were so many possibilities for events, but my two favorites are the 100 fly and 100 free,” Tighe said. “So, we thought, why don’t we try it?”

Cape Elizabeth freshman Emily Ecker was the only other double-winner, taking both the 200 free (1:52.15) and 500 free (4:56.15) – breaking her own state-record time in the latter (4:59.63). Despite winning by 32 seconds, Ecker never let up.

“I really wanted to get the All-American time. That’s what kept me going,” Ecker said. Her time does warrant All-American consideration. The time for automatic All-American status is 4:52.43.

Besides the Capers’ records, two other state records fell – the Morse High 200 free relay team’s win in 1:37.62, and Morse freshman Olivia Harper’s 56.25 in the 100 backstroke.

“It was a good meet. Good times,” Shipbuilders Coach Todd Marco said.

Morse senior Ann Tolan, who will swim at Penn State next year, defended her 50 freestyle title (23.70).

Senior Ana Neff-Jendrasko of Maine Girls Academy won the 100 breaststroke (1:08.02), with Yarmouth senior Eliza Lunt second. Neff-Jendrasko, who will swim for Florida Atlantic next year, finished second in the 200 individual medley, won by Mount Desert Island’s Lydia DaCorte (2:08.67).

Kennebunk junior Emma Patterson won her second consecutive diving championship with 344.55 points. Greely’s Julia Bisson was second (336.80).

This was the Capers’ 17th state championship since girls’ swimming began in 1973. But this is the first Class B title for the Capers, since Cape Elizabeth moved down a class after winning the A title in 2013.

Title No. 17 was anticipated. But you never know. The first race was hardly easy, as the 200 medley relay turned out to be the best of the day.

Morse’s Olivia Harper led off with a 26.47 backstroke, giving the Shipbuilders a one-second lead. Hailey Harper turned in a 32.12 breaststroke, and Tolan a 25.81 fly. Morse had a tenuous 1/2-second lead when anchor Ella Martin dove in, Capers’ Alicia Lawrence right after her.

When both finally touched the wall, eyes shot up to the timing board. Cape Elizabeth won in a state record time of 1:48.61. Morse had also broken the state record with a 1:48.65.

“It was so exciting. I thought I was behind until I looked up,” said Lawrence, who was preceded by Caroline Mahoney, Rose Baillie and Tighe in the race.

Morse, with the same foursome, came back and got its own state record in the 200 free relay.

Tighe won the 100 fly by 0.69 seconds over DaCorte, and was soon back in the pool.

“When I was diving in for the 100 free, I was panting because my heart rate was still so high,” Tighe said.

Adding to the challenge was Tolan, the defending champion. Tolan took a slight lead and held it until Tighe caught her in the final 20 yards.

“She’s just really tough,” Raymond said of Tighe’s double. “She did something that I don’t know if anyone has ever done before.”

The 100 free demonstrated the Capers’ depth, with four swimmers in the top six – Lawrence (third), Hope Campbell (fourth) and Josephine Auzou (sixth).

After Tighe’s double, Ecker got hers with her dominating 500 free. She also had won the 200 free by 13 seconds.

“Great swims with no one pushing her. She just dials into that rhythm,” Raymond said.

For the 400 relay, Raymond chose Lawrence, Ecker, Mahoney and Tighe. They already had the state record (3:37.60) “but we wanted to go faster,” Ecker said. They did, with a blistering 3:32.67.

The Capers celebrated another record, and were soon taking the traditional victory plunge.

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